He wears more hats than LL Cool J. Depending on when you see him, he is either the Alpha Phi Alpha guy, the basketball guy, the SA guy, or a dozen other things. But he is always David Burt. The ubiquitous David Burt.

I love people, he said. I’ll admit it, I’m kind of weird. I guess what’s really odd is that I’m always really happy. It’s not like I’m faking it. When I see people I haven’t seen in awhile, I’m honestly excited.

It’s that excitement that has made Burt arguably the most recognizable student on campus without a good jump shot. His gregarious manner was his trademark long before he started running for office, but now that he is seeking the presidency of the Student Association, he’s using the election as more than just an excuse to meet people. He has designs for his presidency which, though intertwined with his attitude, reveal him to be more than just a flesh-presser.

I think that it’s really a shame that the (SA) in no way can claim to represent the GW community, he said. I mean, it’s really that simple. I’ve always said that people can’t represent students they don’t know. I think I’d be better than past presidents because I wouldn’t isolate myself.

I honestly think that some people take the SA too seriously. Some people, that’s all they’ve been involved with at GW, and I don’t think that’s necessarily healthy. It’s really important to experience different things. I don’t want to cheat myself out of something I might enjoy.

Burt is a native of Bermuda and a graduate of a boarding school in Florida. Now in his fourth year at GW, he’s finally settled on a double major in finance and information systems. The fruits of the latter are on display at www.burt4prez.com, while the fruits of the former make up his big campaign issues of SA funding process reform and GW waste. The man who cannot say no has taken this election so seriously that he has quit his basketball promotion job with the Student Activities Center and has stepped down as president of his fraternity.

But he said he has never defined himself by the titles in front of his name nor by the things he’s done.

I think we’re basically defined by the people we meet, he said. The things you do are important, but from my perspective, it’s not as important as the people I meet.

We have all been forced to down a family member’s greasy and lackluster casserole with a smile on our face. But this Thanksgiving, you can rethink the staple and enjoy a dish with a crunch that goes unmatched.